Polyacrylamide (PAM) - A one million acre progress report

Water soluble polyacrylamide (PAM) was recognized in the early 1990s as an environmentally safe and highly effective erosion-preventing and infiltration-enhancing chemical, when applied in very dilute concentrations in furrow irrigation water (Lentz et al., 1992; Lentz and Sojka, 1994; McCutchan et al., 1994; Trout et al., 1995; Sojka and Lentz, 1997; Sojka et al., 1998a,b). The mode of action involves surface soil structure stabilization and maintenance of pore continuity. A recommended conservation practice standard was published by NRCS in 1995 (Anonymous, 1995) and is being revised in 1999. It delineates considerations and specifies methodology for. PAM-use. Commercial sales of erosion-preventing PAMs began in 1995. Approximately one million acres were treated in the United States in 1999. Extent of adoption of the practice outside the US is less certain, but interest is growing in several countries and continents. Key aspects of this PAM technology development are presented below